DogTime’s top 10 dog news stories in 2014

ByMike Dogtime

Which events in 2014 attracted the most readers? Here are the top 10 news stories about dogs that appeared on DogTime.com, in ascending order of most views. (Note:This is not a list of our favorite news stories.)

A cow who was rescued from an animal hoarder never knew what open fields, green grass, and freedom were until she arrived at The Grace Foundation’s 600-acre state-of-the-art facility. Quickly falling in with a pack of 10 dogs, Milkshake loves to run and play — and she even tried to jump in the back seat of a car (just like her canine pals).

Desmond Hague was head of Centerplate — a company that provided concessions to some of the biggest venues and events in the country. But when a shocking video emerged of the CEO mistreating a Doberman Pinscher puppy in an elevator in Canada, Hague was forced to resign after calls to boycott Centerplate’s services — by sports fans and animal lovers alike — and mass signings of various online petitions. Hague’s personal apologies, Centerplate’s punitive measures, and establishing a foundation to promote animal safety, did little to quell the outrage.

When Jamie and Marian Harris took their beloved Sid to veterinarian Dr. Lou Tierce, they were told their beloved Leonberger suffered from a birth defect and the animal should be put down. They took Tierce’s advice and bid teary farewells. Turns out Sid was never euthanized — he was kept alive at the vet facility and a subsequent raid revealed the dog wasn’t alone. A practicing vet for 48 years, Tierce had his license suspended for 4 years, and the Harris family is suing him for $1 million.

Dog ownership requires a lot of responsibility, time, and sacrifice. Despite the best of intentions, some people adopt, realize they aren’t up for the challenge, and surrender the animal. But return protocol was completely lost on Daniel Sohn, who walked into a Colorado shelter with his dog, refused to fill-out the required paperwork, and then abruptly left — with surveillance cameras capturing heartbreaking images of Sohn’s German ShepherdmixBronson chasing his owner’s speeding vehicle…but what happened next was worse.

Natural disasters don’t only destroy property, they shatter families, too — as was the case of the Cruz family in New Jersey. They lost their 4-year-oldLabrador Retriever, Wesley, when the dog ran away from home moments before Superstorm Sandy struck. After missing for 17 months, the Cruzes began to lose hope; on April 1st, however, they got some surprising news (and it wasn’t a joke).

A cash-strapped elderly couple decided to leave their ailing 13-year-oldDachshund with a local shelter so the animal could get the necessary medical care. But the topper was a heart-breaking handwritten note — scrawled on a piece of notebook paper — that requested the animal be put down. Turns out the dog’s condition wasn’t so dire, and the pooch was eventually reunited with his owners.

Kadee Mae returned to her Wisconsin home one day dragging the back half of her body, suffering from a damaged spine. Unable to use her rear legs, the Border Collie’s owner purchased a special doggie wheelchair. The device was great on solid surfaces, but snow? Thanks to volunteers from Friends of Jonah rescue, skis were created that fastened to the carriage’s wheels, allowing the dog needed mobility during the winter months.

Canine parvovirus is a disease that can be easily spread among dogs and can quickly turn fatal. It’s understandable, then, that word of a potential cure would attract a lot of attention — especially when cases were on the rise in parts of the country during the spring of 2014. Avinax, a company that was formed to combat mass geese deaths unrelated to parvo, created a compound that has a 90 percent cure rate among test canines with the deadly disease.

The latest grooming trend in China took the southwest Sichuan Province by storm: Chow Chow’s (or similar dogs) with their fur colored and shaped to give the appearance of a panda bear. The pricey procedure takes two hours, and the effect lasts for an average of six weeks before touch-up work is required. According to one pet shop owner, “there are no chemicals or cruelty involved.”

What do you think was the most memorable dog news story of 2014? Please let ue know in the comments below.